Make it a Ritual to eat in the Toronto Entertainment District

We’re starting a petition to keep the summer heat all year round! Lunches in the park, slow summer strolls to our fave restos and let’s not forget about Summerlicious in the Toronto Entertainment District. Whether you made it out to all your favourite eateries or missed out on a few, there’s no need for FOMO. Even though winter is coming, you (and your whole office) can still enjoy the best restaurants in the #TorontoED with ease thanks to Ritual! If you live, work or frequent the Toronto Entertainment District, chances are you’ve heard of this app. If you’re a bit behind, prepare to be amazed by modern technology.

Ritual is a social ordering app, letting you order from your favourite restaurants and earn points. And for all of you wishing you could speedily takeout lunch from those sit-down spots on Restaurant Row, now you can! All you have to do is stop in and pick up your food when it’s ready – the app will even prompt you when to leave. Plus, you have the option of placing a solo order, offering pick-up for your office or piggybacking on someone else’s order! Long story short, skip the long lunchtime lineups and make it a ritual to eat here in the #TorontoED.

Check out some of the participating restaurants in the Toronto Entertainment District and never suffer through an average homemade lunch again.

Chances are you’ve heard of Za Pizza Bistro. The build-your-own wood-fired pizza chain has multiple locations around the city, but lucky for you, there’s a convenient location in the heart of the #TorontoED! The options for customization are endless, with your choice of original, whole wheat or gluten-free crust, over half a dozen sauces and 40 toppings. All pizzas are 11 inches, so it’s the perfect choice for a satisfying solo lunch or splitting with a friend.

FLOCK rotisserie chickens are hormone and antibiotic free, Halal and free run – they’re also delicious and cooked on-site every day. For non-meat eaters (or for those looking to spruce up your side order), FLOCK offers delicious salads catering to individuals with paleo, gluten free, vegan or dairy free preferences. Plus, the house sauces and dressings are made from scratch every day. It’s the ideal healthy, vibrant and filling lunch for summer, fall, winter and spring!

If you’re in the mood for something totally unique (and Instagram-worthy), The Haam has you covered. Serving the best Japanese inspired Mexican cuisine in Toronto (yes, it’s a thing), it’s guaranteed to satisfy your cravings. For lunch, you can’t go wrong with the Three Tacos dish (three loaded tacos of your choice!). If you want to check out more of the menu (trust us, you do) there are plenty of options for lunch and dinner, from tacos to sushi, sashimi and sashimi rolls. We highly recommend fan favourites like the Lobster King Roll, Shrimp Roll and the Assorted Aburi Sushi. Not in the mood for strictly sushi? Try any of the hot and cold starters. Haam’s Number One Spicy Fries or the Panko Soft-Shell Crab are as good as they sound.

Looking for something light? Healthy? Affordable? Sustainable, even? We give you imPerfect, the first restaurant in Canada to incorporate imperfect produce into its menu! Built on the belief that food lovers, sensible spenders and health-conscious individuals should be able to find quick and satisfying meals, this place ticks all those boxes. Offering up bowls and wraps, an array of protein, unlimited fresh toppings and gluten-free, dairy free and vegan sauces, imPerfect lunches are lunches you can feel good about. Using imperfect produce to lower overall costs – without sacrificing nutrition or taste – imPerfect also supports local farmers and producers. Delicious, convenient, and supportive of a good cause? Sounds perfect.

Thought you could only enjoy Restaurant Row during a sit-down dinner? Think again! Ritual is allowing you to order from some of the best food options in the city including King St. classics like Hey Lucy, N’Awlins Jazz Bar, Gabby’s and La Fenice. Choose from its comprehensive menu of Italian indulgences like Rigatoni Bolognese with slow-simmered ground veal (one of its most popular dishes) or treat yourself to a Seafood Linguini with shrimp, squid, mussels and clams. Bet you never thought you could eat that for lunch! The future is here.

309 King Street West
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Indian

With over 60 items, Dhaba Indian Restaurant of Excellence lives up to its name. It’s your go-to for classics like tandoori and butter chicken, goat, fish and a whole selection of vegetarian entrees. Your coworkers won’t even need to be jealous because the portions are large enough to share. We recommend ordering several meals to bring back to the office so you get a taste of everything! Don’t forget to order rice and/or naan to accompany the sauciness.

Open from morning to night, O&B Canteen always has your back. Located in the TIFF Bell Lightbox, this sunny, feel-good eatery is the perfect spot for eating on the go before heading to a show at Royal Alexandra Theatre, a concert at Roy Thomson Hall or to take back to school or work (brain food!). Based off the philosophy of creating food to live better, start your day with one of its vegan/gf smoothies – like the Green Zinger with avocado, coconut milk, spinach, matcha and ginger lemonade – or wait until you’re hungrier for one of its mains. Good luck trying to decide! Beet Burger, Sweet Potato Tacos, Fried Brussels Sprouts are only the beginning. Happy eating!

This list doesn’t even do the full roster of participating restaurants on Ritual justice. There are options for every cuisine, mood and time of day. Can you tell we’re passionate about the food options in the #TorontoED? We want you to be too. Tag us on Facebook, Instagram (@entertainmentdistrictto) and Twitter (@Toronto_ED) and show us what you’re ordering!

Are you a business in the Toronto Entertainment District BIA and want to be featured in an upcoming blog post? Contact us! info@torontoed.com